noun
oar
OR/ɔːr/
A long shaft with a broad blade used to row a boat.
The wooden oar rests through the boat's oarlock with its broad blade exposed.
Etymology
Old English ar already named the implement used to propel a boat. The word preserves that practical meaning, but its deeper origin is unknown.
In context
which automatically rotates the oar so if you initially just do the left and right motion try to build in that up and down component so you end up with that figure of eight as the boat picks up speed
More examples
- He lifts one oar out of the water.
- We keep a spare pair of oars in the boat.
- The wooden oar has a crack in its blade.
Forms
oar · oars
Similar words
- paddle
- Held freely rather than pivoted against the side of a boat.